The effect of caregiving roles on risk of elevated depressed mood over 12 months was examined in early-stage (0-IIA) breast cancer patients and same-aged women without breast cancer. Women were interviewed 4-6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months following definitive surgical treatment (patients) or routine screening mammogram (controls). The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale was administered at each interview and dichotomized for analysis (<16 [little/no depressed mood] vs.>/=16 [elevated depressed mood]). Participants were categorized as having no caregiving responsibilities, caregiving for children or other persons, or caregiving for both children and others (multiple caregiving roles). Two multivariable marginal logistic regression models with repeated measures were fit (one each for patients and controls) to examine the effect of caregiving roles on elevated depressed mood, using generalized estimating equations to account for intra-individual correlations. Of 1096 participants (mean age 58; 76% white), 1019 with caregiving data were included in the analysis. Compared with baseline, patients with multiple caregiving roles (23/521 patients) were at increased risk of elevated depressed mood at 6 months (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 7.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-44.46; P = 0.034), and controls with multiple caregiving roles (15/498 controls) were at decreased risk of elevated depressed mood at 12-month follow-up (aOR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.02-0.97; P = 0.047). Patients with multiple caregiving roles were more likely while controls were less likely to report elevated depressed mood over time, suggesting a need to identify patients with multiple caregiving roles early during their treatment.

ABSTRACT: ERK signaling regulates focal adhesion disassembly during cell movement, and increased ERK signaling frequently contributes to enhanced motility of human tumor cells. We previously found that the ERK scaffold MEK Partner 1 (MP1) is required for focal adhesion disassembly in fibroblasts. Here we test the hypothesis that MP1-dependent ERK signaling regulates motility of DU145 prostate cancer cells. We find that MP1 is required for motility on fibronectin, but not for motility stimulated by serum or EGF. Surprisingly, MP1 appears not to function through its known binding partners MEK1 or PAK1, suggesting the existence of a novel pathway by which MP1 can regulate motility on fibronectin. MP1 may function by regulating the stability or expression of paxillin, a key regulator of motility.

We report a high-quality draft sequence of the genome of the horse (Equus caballus). The genome is relatively repetitive but has little segmental duplication. Chromosomes appear to have undergone few historical rearrangements: 53% of equine chromosomes show conserved synteny to a single human chromosome. Equine chromosome 11 is shown to have an evolutionary new centromere devoid of centromeric satellite DNA, suggesting that centromeric function may arise before satellite repeat accumulation. Linkage disequilibrium, showing the influences of early domestication of large herds of female horses, is intermediate in length between dog and human, and there is long-range haplotype sharing among breeds.

Traditional palliative care services have focused on individuals with cancer. The NHS National End of Life Care Programme, launched in December 2003, has been working to address this anomaly and to try to enhance end of life care provision for other patient groups. This article reports on work in the area of renal failure at Westmorland General Hospital, Cumbria, where the Preferred Priorities for Care tool has been introduced to support patients nearing the end of life.

PURPOSE: The spatio-temporal index (STI) is one measure of variability. As currently implemented, kinematic data are used, requiring equipment that cannot be used with some patient groups or in scanners. An experiment is reported that addressed whether STI can be extended to an audio measure of sound pressure of the speech envelope over time, that did not need specialized equipment. METHOD: STI indices of variability were obtained from lip track (L-STI) and amplitude envelope (E-STI) signals. These measures were made concurrent whilst either fluent speakers or speakers who stutter repeated "Buy Bobby a puppy" 20 times. RESULTS: L-STI and E-STI correlated significantly. STI reduced with age for both L-STI and E-STI. E-STI scores and L-STI scores discriminated successfully between fluent speakers and speakers who stutter. CONCLUSION: The amplitude envelope over time STI scores can be used to obtain an STI score. This STI score can be used in situations where lip movement STI scores are precluded.

As pandemic influenza becomes an increasing threat, partnerships between public health and correctional facilities are necessary to prepare criminal justice systems adequately. In September 2007, the Planning for Pandemic Influenza in Prison Settings Conference took place in Georgia. This article describes the collaboration and ongoing goals established between administrative leaders and medical staff in Georgia prison facilities and public health officials. Sessions covered topics such as nonpharmaceutical interventions, health care surge capacity, and prison-community interfaces. Interactive activities and tabletop scenarios were used to promote dynamic learning, and pretests and posttests were administered to evaluate the short-term impact of conference participation. The conference has been followed by subsequent meetings and an ongoing process to guide prisons' preparation for pandemic influenza.

Champagne coat color in horses is controlled by a single, autosomal-dominant gene (CH). The phenotype produced by this gene is valued by many horse breeders, but can be difficult to distinguish from the effect produced by the Cream coat color dilution gene (CR). Three sires and their families segregating for CH were tested by genome scanning with microsatellite markers. The CH gene was mapped within a 6 cM region on horse chromosome 14 (LOD = 11.74 for theta = 0.00). Four candidate genes were identified within the region, namely SPARC [Secreted protein, acidic, cysteine-rich (osteonectin)], SLC36A1 (Solute Carrier 36 family A1), SLC36A2 (Solute Carrier 36 family A2), and SLC36A3 (Solute Carrier 36 family A3). SLC36A3 was not expressed in skin tissue and therefore not considered further. The other three genes were sequenced in homozygotes for CH and homozygotes for the absence of the dilution allele (ch). SLC36A1 had a nucleotide substitution in exon 2 for horses with the champagne phenotype, which resulted in a transition from a threonine amino acid to an arginine amino acid (T63R). The association of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with the champagne dilution phenotype was complete, as determined by the presence of the nucleotide variant among all 85 horses with the champagne dilution phenotype and its absence among all 97 horses without the champagne phenotype. This is the first description of a phenotype associated with the SLC36A1 gene.